


The Wild Woods

by thedrunkenwerewolf



Category: The Wind in the Willows - Kenneth Grahame, The Wind in the Willows - Stiles/Drewe/Grahame
Genre: Feelings, Fluff and Angst, Found Family, Guilt, Light Angst, M/M, Rescue, can be read as platonic or romantic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-08
Updated: 2020-12-08
Packaged: 2021-03-10 02:36:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,040
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27963155
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thedrunkenwerewolf/pseuds/thedrunkenwerewolf
Summary: inspired by the west end musical adaptation. Ratty only screws together enough courage to venture into the dangerous Wild Woods after Mole goes in there alone. Mild angst with a happy ending.
Relationships: Mole & Rat (Wind in the Willows), Mole/Rat (Wind in the Willows)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 7





	The Wild Woods

**Author's Note:**

> I own nothing. This little fic – my first for this fandom - is inspired by the Wind in the Willows west end musical that my friend Cat told me about :) Can be read as either a romantic of platonic relationship. I hope you enjoy.

Mole and Ratty both stood at the edge of the Wild Woods. Mole determined to go find Badger. Rat much more uncertain whether this was a good idea. The Wild Woods were a dangerous place. A place where no animal with any good sense would go. Yet here he was, at the edge of such a place. With Mole. Mole, whom he'd agreed to follow anywhere.

But it seemed the Wild Woods were an exception to that agreement. Instinct and self preservation were winning out over their friendship, just as they had his friendship with Toad. And it grew ever clearer to Rat there were some places he wouldn't go. Not even for Mole.

He heard Mole take a deep breath beside him. "Well, this is it. The Wild Woods. Are you ready?"

Rat was already shaking his head, because no, no he wasn't ready for this. There was no way he'd _ever_ be ready for this. Not even if he lived to be a hundred.

"Ratty?" Mole called to him.

"No," he squeaked. "No, no I can't do this."

Mole's eyes widened. "but... But Ratty..."

Rat shook his head. "Moley, I'm sorry. I can't do this."

Mole turned and stared at him, shocked. "But... but Ratty, you said you'd do this with me."

Rat grit his teeth. "Well I can't! You'll have to do this on your own."

The hurt look on Mole's face only made his heart ache. But Rat held firm. He couldn't go into the Wild Woods. He just couldn't. Truth be told, he was a coward. The sooner Mole accepted that, the better.

"But Ratty-"

"I'm sorry, Moley." Rat cut him off. "But I won't go with you this time. You're on your own."

Mole's lips quivered, and for a moment, Rat thought his friend might cry. But to his credit, Mole suppressed the tears and the emotions and stood up to his full height. Shoulders squared up to face him.

"Well fine," Mole glared at him. "I'll go by myself then."

Rat nodded slowly, and then watched his friend march off into the dangerous Wild Woods.

_Good,_ he thought. _If he wants to go and get himself killed or eaten, he can._

_. . ._

After Mole had been swallowed up by the forest – the sea of trees – Rat sat down on the grass to smoke his pipe.

He'd been enjoying the peace and quiet in the sunshine for a little while before the guilt began gnawing on his insides, and those pesky little thoughts came creeping in.

You shouldn't have let him go in there alone.

What kind of friend are you?

You know he'll get killed in there.

He tried to shake the thoughts away, but to no avail. They were persistent little buggers, and they no weren't budging. No matter how hard he tried to banish them.

Eventually, after hearing all he could stand from the chiding voice in his head, he stood up and shouted, "All right! All right! I'll go after him!"

The voice silenced immediately at that, and after he'd gathered up the necessary supplies – and his courage along with them – he marched straight into the Wild Woods after Mole. Swallowing his fear as best he could.

. . .

It was dark in the forest much darker than he's expected. And Mole was much more lost than he'd ever wanted to be.

He looked at his map again. Dearly wishing that Ratty had come with him. It was one thing to be lost alone in the woods. Another thing entirely to be lost with a friend. It was a lot less scary, for one thing, if you had a friend beside you.

He wandered through the dark and the trees, growing more and more lost with each step. Just as the shadows grew larger and more sinister. He stumbled over branches and bushes that tugged and tore at his clothes. The wind chilling him right to the bones, so he shivered to try and keep warm. Eventually falling to his knees when he couldn't go on anymore. His limbs aching. His body tired. His soul giving up because he was al alone out here, would probably die out here. Or worse, he'd be killed and eaten by the Wild Wooders.

Mole wasn't sure which was worse. But either way, he could feel the hungry predators watching him from their places in the shadows. Waiting for the perfect moment to pounce on him.

"Oh Ratty," he whimpered softly. "How I wish you were here..."

A moment after he'd uttered the words, Mole heard Ratty's voice on the wind. Or at least, he fancied he heard Rat.

"Moley?!"

_Oh good, a friendly voice to comfort me before I go to my final resting place,_ he thought. But the voice called out again. Nearer this time.

"Mole!"

Mole curled up on the cold ground, useless map still scrunched up n his hands, and closed his eyes. Giving himself over to whatever death fate had in store for him.

" _ **Moley!"**_ Ratty's voice shrieked as the Rat himself burst through the trees and scrambled to kneel at his side. Mole thought him an llusion until he started shaking him.

""Oh Moley wake up! Wake up! Thank goodness I've finally found you! When you went in here alone I feared the worst."

Mole felt the warmth of a blanket surround him, and slowly he sat up, blinking as he took in the welcome sight of his dearest friend.

"Ratty? You're- you're here? You came after me?"

Rat hugged him tightly. "Of course I came after you, you idiot!" he spouted as Mole slowly returned the embrace. His cold body welcoming the heat. "Only idiots go into the Wild Woods alone."

Mole smirked to himself. _Says the idiot who came in after me alone,_ he thought. Though he knew better than to say so.

"Well, I'm glad you did find me," he said softly, squeezing Ratty tight.

"Oh Moley," Rat sighed. "I'm just..." he paused, taking a breath to compose himself and steady his shaking voice. "I'm just so glad I found you before someone else did," he said softly. Not once letting go of him. Not even making a move to, either.

And neither did Mole, for that matter.


End file.
